1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a method of displaying data related to a procedure for operating a complex facility and, more particularly, to an on-line system for displaying data associated with emergency response procedures for operating a nuclear reactor.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many different types of systems for displaying procedures or data related to procedures for operating a complex facility. For example, there are systems which are the equivalent of an "electronic book" where procedures for operating the facility have been entered into computer readable form for access by an operator of the facility. Such systems may provide for easier access to a required procedure by including an electronic index, but otherwise provide little advantage over printed procedures. On the other hand, there are much more sophisticated systems such as the one described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 825,427, filed Feb. 3, 1986, incorporated herein by reference. The system described therein provides on-line interactive monitoring of the execution of process operating procedures. Critical plant data is monitored and evaluated by comparison with predetermined thresholds and in accordance with the prescribed operating procedures. The system selects items of concern for display to the operator of the facility. The text of the procedures is displayed as necessary.
The control room of a complex facility can include numerous gauges, meters and other forms of display of operational status of the facility. Textual procedures, whether stored electronically or not, do little more than instruct an operator which of the many forms of data display need to be checked. On the other hand, the on-line monitoring system described in the '427 application provides only the information which is determined by the system to be of concern to the operator. Other data which may confirm or contradict the accuracy of the data relied upon by the monitoring system is not provided. Thus, an operator may still need to check other devices displaying operational status information.